2008 CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA

[John Spierling]

Any updates on where the 2008 CCR regatta will be held and what are the dates of the regatta???

[Tom Elsen]

Hi John

I'll have more news on this, and an opportunity for a class vote, next week. Right now, we're in the fortunate position of having a couple of clubs interested in hosting the event.

SO.....here are two questions for everyone......

(1) What would you prefer as the (general) date for the event

a) Summer, a week or two before Labor day
b) Early Fall, (mid September or so)
c) Don't care

(2) How would you feel about an even later event, down south? Perhaps in late October?

Please post your views in this thread.

[Spike Boston]

Everybody knows how I feel- Nashville Mid October!

[Jeffrey]

I agree with Spike, Nashville mid October! Sailed there last year for the Equalizer...great venue, great hospitality, Tee-shirts and beer! Jeff

[Jeff Bonvallet]

Racine in August would be best for DASH and her crew.

[John Spierling]

I will have to hold my judgement on Nashville until the end of October, hope it lives up to the high expectations, as I have heard nothing but great things about Nashville. Racine was a great venue also. Are there any other sites being considered??? I think I would be against going to Florida in October. How about out east??? Chesepeake Bay area???

[John Spierling]

Any update on a Site for the 2008 CCR??? After sailing the Equalizer Regatta in Nashville, I would have to say Percy Priest Lake is too small to hold the CCR. The many points of land around the lake, make for very shifty conditions and huge differences in pressures. All though the Equalizer Regatta was a great time and the racing was good (I would encourage the rest of the class to go to Nashville and do the regatta next year), I don't feel that Percy Priest Lake would lend itself to fair racing for a Class Championship Regatta.
Any interest from anyone on the East Coast wanting to host the regatta?? The regatta has been held on Lake Michigan for the past 3 years, going east would be a nice change.

[Tac Boston]

Well, I was a big supporter of sailing the ICR's on Lake Norman years ago. It did not happen, the fleet got pissed and moved on to other boats.

Now we no longer go to Lake Norman to sail. What a waste in my opinion.

What I find funny, (I heard this from the J 22 fleet as well), is people complain about the little lakes being shifty and tough to sail on and how local knowledge plays a big role in winning there.

Well the last time I looked at the results from venues like Percy Priest, Lake Norman, Columbia SC, the good guys are still the good guys and they are up at the top end of the fleet regardless of where it is.

People did not want to go to Minetonka for the nationals back when it was there, (same for the J 22's last year although 64 did show up), because of the same reasons. I can tell you that the ICR's in MN was some of the best racing that I have experienced in the 7.9 for a long long time.

I say go to Nashville, support the fleet there before they decide not to support us and we lose another venue in the south to "winter" at.

Just my thoughts.
Tac

[John Spierling]

Tac, I don't disagree that the top boats, will probably be the top boats, no matter where the regatta is sailed. I think that the lake would be very crowded if we had 30 boats show up for the CCR. The longest leg we could sail would be 1.0 miles or less. If the wind was out of the southwest or northeast, you could probably get a 1.0 mile leg. If the wind is out of any other direction, the longest leg would be about 0.75 miles, maybe. Is this long enough for a 30 boat fleet??? I'll take the boat anywhere and sail anywhere, hell we do the fall series on Anchor Bay every year, where it is usually very fluky and shifty, but we keep going back year after year. I believe that there would be many frustrated owners from the very shifty conditions and would not be ideal conditions to hold a class championship regatta. I would hate to lose the participation in the fleet from the Nashville boats and I plan on going back to the Equalizer Regatta next year. I am just not convinced that this would be the best venue to hold the Class Championship Regatta. Just my two cents.

By the way, if the class does decide to hold the CCR at Nashville, we will attend.

[JP]

Joe & I agree with John's view regarding the sailing space on the lake and don't feel this venue is a good choice for the ’08 National Regatta.

This year's Equalizer event had 14 S2's and some of the land corners were very tight as boats approached 4-5 boats wide (not fun for the inside boat running out of water). Major wind shifts are expected on a lake of this type due to the close proximity of the land & race course. I think folks would enjoy sailing on a more stable race course 1.5nm+ away from any land structure as seen at most big regattas. Also, I didn’t hear any locals building excitement for a ’08 regatta.

While I don’t feel Nashville is a good venue for the ’08 National’s, the Equalizer Regatta was very fun and we’ll be back. The after race food/beverage was a big hit for all the sailors and the shirts looked great as well. A great time to meet all the owners & crew.

Jeff

[Mark Gutteridge]

I saw Alice Boston today at lunch and the two of us commented that the Forum had been quiet the last few days.
I am heartwarmed to see some more discussion on the 2008 CCR.
I am torn about the event.I do believe that a venue without large windshifts would be to the benefit of all the competitors.I also know that this is not possible.I have only been a member for a few short years.But so far I have been to Holland twice(current and shifts),Racine ( current,tornadoes' and shifts),Menominee(shifts),home port Sarnia (current and shifts) and lastly Milwaukee. Milwaukee needs a new sentence.Better yet ,a paragraph.
Milwaukee. Windshifts, fog, a PRO with his head up his ass. Also there was no fleet at the Milwaukee YC. They did a wonderfull job for what they were contracted for.The measurements were done by a group of S2 owners, crew in a great show of CLASS SPIRIT.Sail measurement was not organized.It was assumed that the Bostons' would magically get it done.
A local fleet presence would have irioned out those need to be done tasks.
Our President Tom Elsen did a good job organising things from afar.But his job is not to organise the whole regatta .His mandate is to make sure the host committee has all the Ts' crossed and the Is' dotted.
So Tac, I must agree with you with some reservations.
Nashville. Nashville has challenges that have to be overcome.Launch and haulout.A course layout depending on the wind that would accomdate 30 plus boats. This would also refer to the on water group that would need to adapt to 30 boats.But I have no reservations that they could come up to the challenge. A Fall Regatta because the locals say that would provide sufficient winds The equalizer regatta provided sufficient wind speeds.No worse or better than winds we have experienced in august.
One thing that is not in question.
A first class group of sailors at the Percy Priest Yacht Club.
I ran out of space.To be continued .Guts

[Mark Gutteridge]

Cont'd
The organization of the equalizer regatta was first class.
There is a group of dedicated S2 owners and sailors in the club.The southern members of our class have proven to me that they can run a large event.
To those that say it is along way to travel.The group from Minnesota,Songbird,did the trip in 14 hrs and won the regatta.The southern arm of our fleet has done that trip many times.
Nashville is wonderfull.Lots of things for family and crew to do in the off hrs.Heck we go down early just to enjoy the city and all it has to offer.
So, Let's get talking.Even if we do not have a CCR in Nashville we need to have one somewhere.And we, all, need to be able to make our plans for the next year.I also will still do the Equalizer next year.
I can be reached for further conversaton @gutsea11@hotmail.com.I also need some recipes for BBQ ribs.I have a friend that is having a detroit lions thanksgiving party I have never been able to do ribs well.
Love you Guys and Gals;
Guts

[JP]

Why is PPYC the only club being talked up?? Has there been no interest to date from other S2 Fleet clubs? Tom Elsen, what other Fleets have expressed interest? I’ll throw my hat in and offer to chair the regatta at the Rochester Yacht Club (Lake Ontario), pending RYC regatta availability.

[Spike Boston]

What time of year are you thinking?

[JP]

I was thinking about the 2nd weekend in September pending availability.

The club is host to the J/22 Worlds Regatta in Mid August and the race schedule is usually booked until Labor Day. Anyway, September always offers fun sailing!